Stunt Kites | Sport Kites given you total control of all your kite flying

In this article you will learn about what Stunt Kites are (also finding out what Sport Kites are, how they came to be and how long they have been around. You will also learn how they have progressed over the years since they have first come to be. I will also discuss some different types of these kites. Let's go over a brief history of how stunt kites came to be and how long they have been around.

These kites possibly got their start during the time of the Second World War. Naval antiaircraft gunners trained using two line kites that flew like modern day sport kites. The pilot would fly the kite around to make it hard to hit. Paul Garber, a U.S. Navy Commander was the mastermind behind the concept of this kite. However, the real history starts in the 1960s.

In the 1960s, sport kites started to become available to the general public and became even more popular by the 1970s. Have you ever heard of Peter Powell? Many people who are avid kite flyers know that he invented the Peter Powell Stunt Kite in 1972. Peter Powell's design was a diamond shaped kite with a long tail that was inflatable. His idea behind the design was to be able to trace objects and shapes in the sky, a design of which is still popular in today's world.

The 1980s saw a bit of a change in the style of sport kites. Instead of diamond shape, many manufactures were making delta shaped ones. It became a kind of trend to compete in or watch kite flying competitions. Depending on their personal preference people would fly deltas, diamonds and flexifoils in these competitions. Some of these kites may have seemed to have odd names like Trlbys, Rainbows, Skynasaurs, Hawaiians, Hyperkites and of course flexifoils.

The history of stunt kites would not be complete without the mentioning of the very notable design called the Mirage. This was a delta designed without having a tail. This design won a lot of competitions from around 1985 to 1989. The Big Wing kites were invented around this same time period. These kites were very basically Deltas with wings.

In the 1990s and since then the material that kites were made from changed to being rip-stop nylon. This material was good for kits because it was not easy to rip, it was light and it did not let air pass through. The Stardust CAD was quite popular because of its beginner style; it was easy to use and had no spars. Parafoils were developed into power kites.

There are many different types of stunt kites that are used but the most common are:

The two line Delta

Two line Deltas were inspired by there earliest of hang glider designs. The typical Delta has three main spars with the sail fabric stretched between the spars. It has a triangular shape. The two different lines allow the kite to be steered while in flight.

The two line Diamond

Two line Diamonds fly very similar to the two line deltas. The typical children's kites are the same shape as the two line Diamonds. The difference is that diamonds are not made from just a couple of sticks and the first material that happens to be on hand.

The two line Parafoils

The two line Parafoils are further development of the first parafoil that was invented in the 1960s. Parafoils, unlike most kites, have an upper and a lower surface where as the typical kite has one surface. The smaller ones are more used in stunts as they are quite handy and can fold down and fit into a bag.

The four liners, also called Quad Kits

The Quad Kites are almost like someone took two kites and joined them together side by side. The extra lines are for more control.

Stunt kites are the basics for enjoying the control of your own flight pattern these sport kites are great for everyone who enjoys kiting. We here at SkyDancerKites.com want to help you with information and resources so they you can find the best kite that suits your personality and the type of flying that you wanted to do.